Power management of video display devices by virtual machines

Abstract

A system and method for display power management in a virtualized environment are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a hypervisor receives a notification that a host operating system has received a command to dim a display, and forwards the notification to a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine. The hypervisor receives from the guest operating system a first signal that indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. The hypervisor then transmits a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a hypervisor executed by a processor at a computer system, a notification from the computer system, wherein the notification indicates that a host operating system at the computer system has received a command to dim a display device at the computer system; 
 forwarding, by the hypervisor, the notification to a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine at the computer system; 
 receiving, by the hypervisor, a first signal from the guest operating system, wherein the first signal indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command, wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor by a virtual device in the guest operating system, and wherein the virtual device is mapped to the display device; and 
 in response to receiving the first signal, sending, by the hypervisor, a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor in response to determining that output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the guest operating system is modified to receive the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the guest operating system is modified to send the first signal to the hypervisor in response to receiving the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       5. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine executed by a processor at a computer system, a notification forwarded by a hypervisor at the computer system, wherein the notification indicates that a host operating system at the computer system has received a command to dim a display device at the computer system; 
 determining, by the guest operating system, that output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device; and 
 in response to determining that the output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device, sending, from the guest operating system, a first signal to the hypervisor, wherein the first signal indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor by a virtual device in the guest operating system, wherein the virtual device is mapped to the display device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5  wherein the guest operating system is modified to receive the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5  wherein the guest operating system is modified to send the first signal to the hypervisor in response to receiving the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       9. A computer system comprising:
 a bus to deliver signals to a display device; and 
 a processor to communicate with the bus to:
 execute a hypervisor, 
 receive, by the hypervisor, a notification from the computer system, wherein the notification indicates that a host operating system at the computer system has received a command to dim the display device at the computer system, 
 forward, by the hypervisor, the notification to a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine at the computer system, 
 receive, by the hypervisor, a first signal from the guest operating system, wherein the first signal indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command, wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor by a virtual device in the guest operating system, and wherein the virtual device is mapped to the display device, and 
 in response to receiving the first signal, send, by the hypervisor, a second signal that notifies the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 9  wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor in response to a determination that output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device. 
     
     
       11. The computer system of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further to determine that the output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device. 
     
     
       12. The computer system of  claim 9  wherein the guest operating system is modified to receive the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       13. The computer system of  claim 9  wherein the guest operating system is modified to send the first signal to the hypervisor in response to receipt of the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       14. The computer system of  claim 9  further comprising the display device. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a guest operating system hosted by a virtual machine executed by the processor at a computer system, a notification forwarded by a hypervisor at the computer system, wherein the notification indicates that a host operating system at the computer system has received a command to dim a display device at the computer system; 
 determining, by the guest operating system, that output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device; and 
 in response to determining that the output from the virtual machine is visible on the display device, sending, from the guest operating system, a first signal to the hypervisor, wherein the first signal indicates that the hypervisor is to notify the host operating system to refrain from executing the command. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15  wherein the first signal is sent to the hypervisor by a virtual device in the guest operating system, wherein the virtual device is mapped to the display device. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15  wherein the guest operating system is modified to receive the notification from the hypervisor. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15  wherein the guest operating system is modified to send the first signal to the hypervisor in response to receiving the notification.